The Root chakra is the first chakra in the chronological order of the Chakra System. We will explore the common imbalances that occur in the Root chakra and how to restore them to balance.
Introduction
The chakras are the main energy centres in your body. When they are blocked or stagnant, you experience physical, emotional, and mental problems.
There are 7 main chakras located along the spine, from the base of the spine to the top of the head.
The first in order is the Root chakra located at the base of your spine and responsible for your sense of grounding and security. Like any organ in your body, the chakra too go through periods of malfunction.
Chakra healing is a process of opening and clearing blocked or stagnant energy in the chakras to restore balance and health to the body.
Chakras can be balanced with various practices such as yoga poses, meditation, and using crystals and essential oils.
Let us explore how to recognize the imbalance in the Root chakra when it happens, and learn how to fix it. You can also access our detailed course on healing and balancing all chakras here ‘Understanding Chakras’.
Basic Functions of Root Chakra
The Muladhara or Root chakra is located at the base of your spine. It is associated with earth-related matters and is linked to your ability to feel firmly grounded or rooted in life.
Its color is red because it comes from deep motherly love. It has the potential to make you grounded and safe, same as you would feel in the lap of your mother.
That’s why its associated element is earth. It ensures that you have a strong foundation in life and helps you feel safe and secure. The Root chakra also provides you with physical energy, vitality, and strength.
The Root chakra is the “starting point” for developing and maintaining balance.
In the womb, our spinal cord begins to develop from this base chakra up towards the crown center.
It is here at the Root chakra that most of your instincts are formed: survival (fight or flight) response initiated by energy coming first through the root level. At the time you are born the constant questions keep going on in the background: Do I belong here? Am I safe to be here?
So basically, this Chakra represents stability and security in one’s environment as well as an animalistic sense of survival that is present from the first stirring within you when you were born. The first three chakras are associated with Survival, the Root chakra being the first among them.
Root Chakra starts with all its energies focused on recognising where you stand – on what feels safe or secure. These constant vigilant energies are not only active for appraising the physical environments but also people, communities, and relationships.
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Signs of Root Chakra Imbalance or Blockage
Root Chakra deals with the most basic of needs – food, water, shelter, and a sense of inner security. When these are not met then it’s clear that there is an issue at your Root chakra which will manifest itself in various ways such as hoarding money or overeating just to name two.
It is also responsible for your emotional stability. When it’s out of balance, you may experience a range of symptoms, including:
- Feeling anxious or stressed out.
- Having trouble sleeping.
- Experiencing low energy or fatigue.
- Having difficulty feeling grounded or centered.
- Struggling with self-confidence or self-esteem.
- Lethargy or depression.
- Inability to act and/or manifest intentions.
- Feeling disconnected from oneself/experiencing panic attacks.
Physical Symptoms
When the Root chakra is out of alignment, you may experience pain in your intestines and lower body. This misalignment can manifest physically as follows:
- Constant Weight gain or loss
- Constipation
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) leads to complications like infertility.
- Pain in the lower back or hips
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty in absorbing enough nutrients in the body
Behavioral Symptoms
A common problem among those who suffer from Root chakra imbalance is feeling excessive or otherwise deprived in certain aspects of your life, which could translate into compulsive behaviors such as:
- Being obsessive about money
You tend to worry about going broke, being homeless, or just not having enough cash for the next bill. This could lead to an obsession with work or with spending because “you’ll never know what could happen next.”
· Trying to be over-independent, refusing to ask for help even in utmost need.
· Being a workaholic to the extent of suffering from frequent burnouts.
· Issues with close family members – having dysfunctional relationships.
· Discontentment with what you have, always feeling you haven’t enough.
· Fear of losing control.
· Hyper-vigilant to the perceived threats from your surroundings.
· Fear of revealing your authentic self around others.
· Feeling disconnected from others and your surrounds.
· Being a hoarder, obsessed about collecting material stuff.
Takeaway
The Root chakra is a building block of your physical, mental, and emotional health. When it is blocked you might experience symptoms such as lethargy or depression.
You could feel disconnected from others because no intentions are manifesting in life for yourself – inability to take action on what needs to be done, panic attacks leading up to an uncomfortable level where all areas within this core energy center become sensitive again after release.
Digestive disorders which can lead into other problems like headaches and lower body pains. Other behavioral symptoms include excessive mistrust, hyper-vigilance, hoarding practices, and obsession with material wealth.
Practices to Restore Balance to the Root Chakra
When your Root chakra is in balance, you’ll find it easy to be yourself.
You won’t feel the need for people’s approval or fear losing control over things. Instead, trusting people would be natural and you will be able to develop and deepen relationships.
You’ll no longer feel the urge to fight all kinds of imagined injustices. You will be free to be yourself.
Here are some practices you can implement in daily live to bring balance to the Root chakra:
- Yoga of course is an excellent way to ground yourself and connect with your body.
It can help you feel more present and connected to your physical self, which is essential for balancing the Root chakra. Practice yoga poses that open the hips and legs, such as Downward Dog or Warrior. This will help release tension in the body and make you feel grounded.
- Meditation also can help you connect with your inner self and find a sense of peace and calm.
It eases anxiety and stress, which helps in the overall balancing of the Root chakra.
- Meditate on the mantra “I am grounded and stable.” This helps you to connect with your sense of stability and security.
- Meditate on the qualities of security, grounding, and dependability. This helps you to cultivate and strengthen these qualities within yourself.
- Breathing exercises: Deep breathing helps to oxygenate the blood and relax the body. It can also be very grounding and centering, which can help to balance the root chakra.
- Aromatherapy: Certain essential oils help in balancing the Root chakra. They include frankincense, myrrh, and vetiver.
- Crystals: Some crystals can help balance the Root chakra. The more effective ones include red jasper, bloodstone, and black tourmaline.
- Sound therapy: Sounds too can help balance the Root chakra. They include drumming, chanting, and vibrations from singing bowls.
- Visualize a red light flowing into your chakra. This will help to stimulate and re-energize the chakra.
- Chant the base mantra ‘Lam’ in a meditative pose for 11 mins each day. This will help get your energy moving more efficiently in the chakra.
- Visualization: Imagine that you are standing in a sturdy and supportive tree trunk. This will help you to feel more stable and rooted.
- Spend time in nature, connecting with the Earth’s energy. This will again help to ground and center you.
- Use grounding exercises like walking in nature or sitting barefoot on the ground. These can help you to feel more connected to the Earth and your own body.
- Connect with your primal instincts to help yourself to feel safe and secure.
- Eat grounding foods such as root vegetables, legumes, and whole grains help you to nourish your body and to connect with your sense of security.
- Spend time with people who make you feel safe and supported. This will start you off in cultivating more relationships that are supportive and grounding.
- Connect with your sense of roots and belonging by spending time with family and friends. This helps you to feel connected and rooted in your community.
- Practice self-compassion and self-care.
- Incorporate symbols of security and stability into your life, such as a rock or a tree. These visual symbols help you feel more grounded and stable.
Takeaway
The things we mentioned above are what you can do to balance the Root chakra.
One approach is to focus on the Physical aspects. For example, you can experiment with different poses or activities that help you feel more rooted and connected to the earth.
Or you can work with Visualisation exercises. Another approach is to focus on the Emotions and work on your feelings of safety and security, as well as identifying any areas where you feel disconnected or unsupported.
All these exercises will help you bring greater balance to this energy center.
The Bottom Line
Balancing the Root chakra takes time and patience. No singular approach will work for everyone, so be sure to experiment and find what works best for you.
With time and practice, you will bring greater balance and stability to your life. Just be patient and consistent with your practice.
You can delve deeper into this subject by enrolling for one of the most exclusive course on chakras available online. Click here for the course ‘Understanding Chakras’.
